gwells
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Posts posted by gwells
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The views along the Blue Ridge Parkway are mind-blowing.
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Model A adventure 2023 - episode 7 - home at last!
It was the best of days, it was the worst of days (apologies to Dickens).
After filling the radiator full of water, refilling a number of the empty bottles I had saved, and checking out of the Econo Lodge in Asheville (when my mysterious $60 'deposit' was returned), I retraced the short distance back to the Blue Ridge Parkway to travel on south toward Cherokee.
This section of the parkway features noticeably steeper and longer climbs, as well as more and longer tunnels. Second gear got a lot more use than previously. The upside is that I feel the views are more spectacular. It also seems to receive more traffic as compared to the northern portion of the parkway. The weather, which had been a bit rainy overnight in Asheville, had cleared and big, puffy clouds served to keep the temps moderated and the views very visible.
I didn't stop to sightsee much on this trip, as I needed to be back in Norcross by Friday, July 7, and the day that the failing coil cost me near Carlisle made my timeframe a little tighter.
I did stop at the 3,500-acre Moses Cone Memorial Park north of Linville for a walk through the historic mansion at Flat Rock. Cone made his fortune in textiles, and has been termed the 'King of Denim,' as for a time he and his brother produced a third of the world's supply of that material in their North Carolina factories. I also took the drive up to the parking lot atop Mt. Mitchell, at 6,684 feet the highest point east of the Mississippi River. And I stopped for a few moments at Little Switzerland south of Linville, simply because the North Georgia Jaguar Club holds an annual meeting there which I have never been able to attend. Would likely have stayed overnight there had my visit been toward the end of the day, rather than the middle.
Near Mt. Pisgah is the highest point on the parkway at 6,053 feet and as the pics will show, I drove into clouds near there.
Then came the tragedy. As I have mentioned, there are more tunnels on this section of the parkway than before and I had gotten lazy about turning on my headlights when going through them, as most are short and straight and never get completely dark. Not this time... All of a sudden it got pitch-dark and I slammed on the brakes, which skidded me into the right side tunnel wall at maybe 25-30 mph. With no power steering, I had not been able to free a hand to reach down to flip on the headlights. The damage, which literally made me sick to my stomach, was not as bad as I had feared. The right front fender was wrinkled and the right rear fender slightly scraped; the right front hubcap was smashed flat and the right rear hubcap was gone. And the right side front bumper clamp was gone. I had a tie-wrap in my portfolio to secure the bumper weakly back in place.
There was no wheel or tire damage and the car drove basically as before, once I tie-wrapped the bumper back on its bracket. After exiting the tunnel, I stopped to give the car a detailed inspection and found no further damage. The worst parts of life are problems I can only blame on myself and this was one of them.
The remaining miles to Cherokee were essentially uneventful. I stopped in town to fill up with gas and then found my way onto familiar US 23/441 which proceeds south through Franklin, NC, then Clayton, GA, then on to the north side of Atlanta where I reside. And it's mostly downhill the entire way.
North of Franklin, I stopped at the top of a hill because I was starting to see a little steam coming from the radiator cap. Didn't have much water with me by then, as I had been topping up occasionally, but there were several puddles near where I stopped that I sucked into my bottles. After letting the engine cool down a bit, I proceeded down the hill where I found a gem mining concession I had been unable to see from the hilltop. They graciously let me refill the radiator and bottles from their hose.
In Franklin, just after a roundabout, the tie-wrap holding the right end of the bumper on must have snapped, and the bumper clamp on the other side broke, as the front bumper fell off and I drove over it with a tremendous noise. A driver in a pickup truck behind me stopped and retrieved the bumper, which I placed in the open rumble seat with a T-shirt protecting the side of the trunk opening where it stuck out.
That was the last of the challenges on this nearly 1,200-mile journey. Realizing I had not eaten anything all day, I stopped for a small steak and lobster tail at a Longhorn Steakhouse in Demorest, GA. The remainder of the trip home was easy, with the car still happily cruising at 45-50 mph. US 23/441 joins Ga 365 which turns into I-985 and that eventually runs into I-85S. Traffic was not heavy so I continued on these non-backroads.
Only a few miles after I got on I-85S, I jumped off to head for the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, GA, to pick up the timesheets for the small paid staff at the museum, as I needed to submit the weekly payroll. I stopped at the museum's entry gates, leaving the car running, got out and shut the coupe's door. After opening the gate so I could enter the property, I got back in the car and attempted to shut the door. It wouldn't latch! Evidently the probably 93-year old spring in the door latch had broken. I grabbed a roll of blue painter's tape from the ticket booth and taped the door closed after I got back in.
The remaining five miles to my house went quickly and I pulled into my driveway at exactly 8:05 pm, Monday, July 3.
My dear, departed maternal grandmother, a woman who didn't get much education but who was endowed with a tremendous amount of common sense, used to say, "Be careful what you ask for, as you may get it!”
I said I wanted an adventure and I believe I received one, perhaps at a slightly higher level than I had really desired.
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Model A adventure 2023 - episode 6
After my 'enforced' stay at the highly-recommended Alleghany Inn in Sparta, NC, it was time to reattach the exhaust pipe to the manifold. No quibbles about the complimentary breakfast, because these wasn't one. The nice desk clerk Brandon indicated that they normally directed guests to the diner across the street but that it was closed until Tuesday. Better no comp breakfast than a bad one IMO, but they did have coffee, which is the most important part anyway.
Reattaching the exhaust pipe really requires three hands, which obviously I don't have, and I was happy to have willing assistance from two more trip angels staying at the hotel, Bubba and his friend whose name I cannot recall. One of these kind gentlemen grabbed a bag of tools from his truck, and his sockets and wrench were a material help. The job took no more than fifteen minutes to complete. After the clamp was fully tightened, I took the diagonal cutters I had with me to 'bugger' the threads next to the nuts to prevent them from vibrating loose again.
After checking out of the hotel, and complimenting Brandon on their quality of the lodging, I took a left turn to continue on the detour back to the parkway. The detour, while adding considerable mileage, was a very pleasant interlude from the ridge-top route of the parkway. It went through numerous small towns connected by picturesque valleys and hollows, with the trees often forming green tunnels to traverse, one of my favorite features.
Eventually, I regained the official parkway, which started on a long downhill section. While not trying to speed, I nonetheless intentionally worked the brakes hard, to continue the process of 'bedding-in' the brake shoes to the cast-iron drums. As this trip has progressed, I had been seeing more evidence of a bit of overheating, with foaming water coming out from beneath the 'flying quail' mascot atop the radiator. As I was going downhill and not using a lot of throttle, I had not kept an eye on the thermometer extending from the quali's breast to the radiator cap. Just before a scenic overlook turn-off, the car erupted in a cloud of steam, and I quickly pulled off the road.
The steam subsided within a few minutes, but I knew I was in a pickle, as I only had about half of a large bottle of water with me. There were a lot of cars stopped that this overlook, and once I made my need known, almost everyone contributed to my cause. Some gave a bottle or two, a few girls emptied the contents of their refillable water bottles into the radiator, and one nice gentleman gifted me with half of a bundle of water bottles, remarking that he still had a full unopened bundle with him. There really are angels everywhere.
I ended up with a full radiator and more than a half dozen extra bottles of water. I waited a while to allow the car to cool down before proceeding down the parkway at a more sedate pace. As long I didn't rev the engine up in second gear or pushed hard in top gear, there was no further evidence of overheating.
My destination today was Asheville, NC, where I hopefully would spend my last night in a hotel before arriving home. After exiting the parkway, I headed for the nearest McDonald's to take advantage of their free wi-fi and to charge my phone. When I entered the restaurant, I noticed that all of the wall outlets were blanked off with metal covers and there were notices posted in many places prohibiting 'loitering' for more than 30 minutes. McD's has in the past strongly promoted their free wi-fi, so I found this curious. Thought of inquiring whether this was a corporate store or a franchisee (I suspect the latter), but just turned around and walked out.
Chose an Econo Lodge down the road because their sign promised low rates and that was true. The unusual part was they wanted a $60 'deposit' over and above the room cost; it was to be returned at checkout (and was). Never seen this before. Thought they would check the room out before refunding, but that was not the case. The room itself was fine, but the facilty was almost empty, perhaps three or four cars on the side I was on, with maybe 20-25 rooms.
For some reason, I thought the Blue Ridge Parkway ended in Asheville, but it actually continues on to Cherokee, NC, and I was determined to travel its entire length. So after a decent night's sleep, that is what I plan to do.
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Is this a car selfie?
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A view from one of the overlooks. Sadly, the first few days were so hazy, perhaps from the Canadian fires, that I couldn't get any decent shots. But, honestly, I could have taken perhaps hundreds of fabulous views from the overlooks.
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A pic from the first day on the parkway. Part of an old logging railroad.
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Model A adventure 2023 - episode 5
Saturday morning, after a bit of caffeination, I loaded up and head back toward Roanoke and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's a straight shot from Salem along US 460 (Orange Ave.), but a large part of the early going is through an older section of the city infested with stoplights, seemingly one every block or two. And, of course, a high percentage of them stopped me with no traffic to let across. Needless stoplights are the bane of my existence…
I'd spotted a Waffle House when I got off the parkway the day before and wanted to stop there for breakfast before resuming my trek. Being Saturday morning, they were slammed, with every booth full and just two adjacent stools at the counter open. I took one of the stools, with a very large 'biker dude' to my left, I'd estimate 350 pounds or more, and we had a nice chat about the car. The wait staff was way behind; I sat there at least ten minutes without being offered coffee and heard one waitress tell a patron she'd be right with him as soon as she washed some silverware, as they were out of it.
There were now two empty stools next to me and these were quickly taken by a man and a woman, with the woman next to me. Wasn't more than a minute before the obviously-annoyed man yelled over at me, "Hey, buddy, give my wife a little room, will ya?" Sitting on a stool doesn't give one much leeway, so I guess my elbow was intruding on her space by an inch or two. After a few moments, still with no notice from the waitress, I abandoned the idea of breakfast and headed back to the car.
The return to the parkway was a longer ride than I remembered, and I was delayed when I read a sign wrong. It directed me to the Blue Ridge 'Library' and into a dead end. I finally found the right route and resume heading south.
Haven't said much about the wildlife I've seen, which hasn't been considerable, but there nonetheless. A couple of hen turkeys and numerous deer, all does as best I could tell. Usually just a single deer alongside the road, which scampered off as soon as they heard the noisy old car approaching. Did see a doe and a fawn right after getting on the parkway and later, a doe and two fawns, which I believe is unusual.
The car was running quite well most of the day, but if I had been paying attention, I might have known what was coming. I noticed that I was feeling more hot air on my throttle foot than prevously and recall wondering why that might be the case. Also, the car starting to backfire slightly on throttle closure, not loud backfires, just little pops, and that had not happened before.
At the entrance to the Blue Ridge Music Center near Galax, VA, I pulled over to let the following cars get by and hit a hidden pothole that jarred the car so hard it knocked my cellphone out of the holder suction-cupped to the windshield. I was sure I had damaged something, a wheel or a tire, but luckily, no. A few miles further signs alerted me to a detour off the parkway due to road and bridge construction.
Just before the detour routed traffic off the parkway, I pulled into a scenic overlook area to stretch my legs and take in the scenery. When I started the car to leave, I was startled by extremely loud exhaust noise. Opening the right side of the hood revealed that the exhaust pipe had become disconnected from the exhaust manifold!
The exhaust system on a Model A is just two pieces: the manifold which attaches to the cylinder head and a one-piece exhaust pipe and muffler assembly which goes all the way to the rear of the car. The manifold and the exhaust pipe terminate in small bell-mouths, with a triangular cross-section gland or gasket between them, all squeezed together by a two-piece clamp. The nuts on the clamp had vibrated loose, allowing the exhaust pipe to fall down. Fortunately, the seller had installed longer bolts than really necessary, so that when the joint fell apart, all the clamp pieces remained, even the gland. It was going to be an easy repair... once everything cooled down.
A few loud miles down the parkway, I had to take the detour, which soon took me into the small town of Sparta, NC. As I entered town, I saw a restaurant named Crave where the parking lot was almost completely full. I was intrigued as to why that would be, so I pulled in and parked in the grass at the back of the lot. I discovered that it was the restaurant's 'all you can eat' crab legs day! Time for a decent dinner for a change. There was a long waiting list but a seat at the bar was open and the nice lady there plugged in my nearly-dead cellphone to charge while I ate a great, though messy, meal. Locals advised that there was only one hotel in town and it turned out to be a very good one, perhaps the best I one I stayed at other than the Hoiday Inn Express (which cost nearly twice as much).
After my meal, I sat outside on a bench next to a nice Harley rider (his attire proved it without a doubt) and we discussed my exhaust system issue. When I mentioned that I anticipated problems retightening the clamp with a single 9/16" wrench, when I really needed two, one for each end of the bolt, he went to his Harley's saddle bag and pulled out a 9/16" Craftsman wrench to give me. When I offered to leave it for him at the hotel, he told me not to bother; he'd found it on the road and didn't need it back. Please believe me when I tell you angels are everywhere, if you only take the time to recognise them. And sometimes they ride Harleys…
I could have fixed the exhaust that night, but it simply made more sense to stay the night in Sparta and continue on the next day. So that's what I did.
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Model A adventure 2023 - episode 4
After a second night at the Holiday Inn Express south of Carlisle, PA, and fortified by what was likely to be the best complimentary breakfast I would enjoy on this trip, it was time to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Since I was at an exit on Interstate I-81, I decided initially to utilize that road to head south, as several people said that if I just headed down I-81, I would see signage directing me to the parkway.
My friend Eliot Brenner had messaged me a few days earlier to let him know when I was going to be near Front Royal, VA, so we could meet for coffee or a meal, and I gave him a call as that town was along my day's route. Alas, my short notice caught him scheduled for an audition for a bluegrass band he wanted to join and it wasn't going to be possible for us to hook up. Eliot is a very interesting character; not only is he a skilled musician and a serious Jaguar car nut, he's the retired public affairs officer for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Eliot suggested I jump off I-81, with its enormous volume of heavy truck traffic, and pick up US-11 at Strasburg, VA, which parallels the interstate and, according to Eliot, is a beautiful drive. "When it connects with Hwy 250, take a left and it'll take you right to the parkway," he said. He was correct about the the pretty US-11 drive, but after making the left on Hwy 250, it got confusing as that road split into business and regular versions and there was no signage pointing me to the parkway. Neither my Rand McNally road atlas nor my map app was much help and after a few obviously incorrect choices, when I saw an I-81 entrance ahead, I figured I would just resume the original plan.
Wrong choice. As soon as I came around the hill that blocked my view of the interstate, it was clear that there was a huge traffic jam as far as the eye could see, almost 90% of the traffic being semis. But I was already on the entrance ramp and it was too late to turn back, so I figured I'd just gut it out. Another wrong choice. My map app showed red for miles ahead and I soon realized that traffic was barely moving. It took nearly an hour to get to the next entrance ramp a couple of miles ahead, with long periods of no movement at all. I had had enough and turned right to get off I-81 by going the wrong way up the entrance ramp. Just a single car was getting on and by the look on his face as he passed me pulled aside on the grass to get out of his way, he was not a happy camper. At the top of the ramp, I asked Siri to take me to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and she eventually did, although she was aiming me at the start of the parkway, and I actually joined it at mile 18. Finally!
It was like entering another world. A 45 mph speed limit, no commercial traffic, no telephone poles, no advertising, no stores of any kind, and no gas stations, this last being of concern as the Model A has just an 11-gallon tank and gets roughly 16 mpg. On the upper part of the parkway, there are few exits leading to nearby gas and I did stop at one of the park's info stations to ask where the next place I could get fuel was; fortunately, it was not very far ahead. Opportunities for gas were more frequent and more obvious as I proceeded down the parkway.
The plan was to get to Roanoke before stopping for the night and the ugly traffic jam and my fumbling around with my routing had put me later than planned; I wanted to get there before dark. There was so little traffic on this part of the parkway, I started pushing it a bit. Lots of twists and turns worked to keep my average down, but there were enough straights I could channel my inner Nuvolari a lot. The brakes kept getting better and better as the shoes bedded in and while I didn't actually scare myself, there were a few times I was a bit surprised at how tight a particular curve turned out to be. I'm sure I exceeded the 45 limit numerous times and cleared 60 more than once. All good fun... and happily no park rangers were encountered.
I did reach Roanoke before dark and pulled in the the first McD's I saw to use the wi-fi and to charge my phone. I plugged everything in, quickly booked a room at a hotel in Salem, VA, and then went to the front counter to buy a drink. The manager handed me a cup and then refused my money, as they had closed the lobby a few minutes earlier (at 9 pm on a Friday night!) and had already shut down the counter registers. A glance outside showed the still-open drive-thru line was wrapped around the building. After a few more minutes of charging, I beat an exit and found a good pizza place a few blocks away that was actually open until 10 pm. They were nice enough to plug my phone in behind the counter so it could get more fully charged.
Then off to my Pricelined hotel, which on the map didn't seem like a 25-minute drive away, but it was. The room was OK, but when I slipped into the first bed, not only were the sheets as rough as 220-grit sandpaper, the top sheet would only come up to the middle of my chest and must've been nailed at the foot, as it couldn't be pulled further up. In the other bed, at least the top sheet came up to cover my shoulders
The next morning I encountered the sparsest 'continental breakfast' I've ever seen anywhere. Mini-bagels the size of silver dollars, mini-muffins the size of half dollars, and oranges (clementines probably) barely bigger than golf balls. That was it. The mini-cooler only contained a few of the smallest bottles of water they make. At least there was coffee and tea bags. Being a cheap barstool regarding hotels sometimes has its disadvantages…
The Model A ran flawlessly all day and, of course, drew lots of attention when and wherever I stopped.
I know I have been promising photos, but there just hasn't been time to get them posted. A bit more trouble with the car has also had an impact, as you will read soon. I'll definitely add some pics to these episodes when I can.
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Model A adventure 2023 - episode 3
'Slightly' broken down tonight in Sparta, NC, but the details about that will have to wait until a later episode.
After pushing the car into the Holiday Inn Express lot in Carlisle, PA, and snagging their very last room, I crashed, wanting to sleep on the running problem. My subconscious mind came to feel that the problem was electrical in nature, and not fuel-related. The item I focused on was the electronic module that replaces the points in the FS Ignition fitted to the car, thinking that perhaps it was failing when it got hot and would start working again when it cooled off.
In discussing the situation with trip angel #1 Mark Adler, he suggested I call FS Ignitions in Ponca City, OK, and get their input and advice. He also gave me the number of Warren Sukor in MD, another one of the dedicated Model A club members who staff the 'trouble tents' at national Model A club events in the northeast. Warren was out of town for two days so he hooked me up with Fred Chapman of Gettysburg, PA, another member of the Model A 'trouble tent' troop.
My first conversation was with Shawn Buller, one of the two partners who are FS Ignitions. He was extremely helpful, pointing me to troubleshooting info on the FS website, and emailed me additional information as well as two videos. The gist of his info was that, like all electronic systems, the FS ignition needs voltage inputs in the designed ranges, as well as good, clean, low-resistance grounds at several points. Shawn indicated that these were the issues they consistently encountered when people have trouble with their ignition system products. He also informed me that on the rare occasions their ignition modules failed, it was virtually always a total failure, and not a 'works, doesn't work, then works again' situation.
"Greg, based on what you've told me, I think your problem is a failing ignition coil.”
Fred Chapman returned my call after lunch and said he'd grab some tools and parts and head my way after he got off work at 3 pm, a minimum 45-minute drive. I related Shawn's opinion that it was a failing/bad coil and Fred said he would bring a known good one. (As an aside, Fred owns nine Model As, several inherited from his father, as well as a half-dozen or so muscle cars from the ‘60s.)
When Fred arrived, chauffeured by his lovely wife Sharon, we decided to change out the coil first, as it's an easy swap, and see what happened. Sure enough, the car fired right up but it was still running rich, with lots of fuel dribbling out of the carb.
We then decided to pull the carb and take a look inside. To my utter chagrin, the 'caged' float needle assembly I had reinstalled after we tore the carb down in Hershey had vibrated three turns loose! My concerns about the strength of the zinc-based material the Tillotson carbs are cast from led me to tighten it insufficiently into the carb top. Fred cranked it back in place with such force that I was afraid he was going to strip out the hole! It ain't coming loose now; in fact, it may never be able to be removed again…
After a few minor idle mixture and speed adjustments, I took it for a test drive a few times around the hotel and on several adjacent streets and the car ran perfectly. I paid Fred for the coil and insisted he take some bucks for gas and thanked him and Sharon profusely. And they then headed back to Gettysburg.
Since I had already booked a second night at the Holiday Inn Express, I went back to my room, ordered some food to be delivered, and slept soundly for the first night in several days.
Trip angel total: five in three days and there will be at least one more...
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Model A adventure 2023 - episode 2
Just checked into my hotel in Salem, VA, after a nearly 15-hour run. I'm simply too beat to post the episode 2 narrative tonight. Will have at in the morning after I get coffee.
But I do want to relate that the car ran superbly today. No issues at all and it starts almost instantly if the float bowl is full. The brakes clearly had not been fully bedded in, as they get better and take less pedal pressure the more I use them. The car is even idling smoother now.
Today's run was from just south of Carlisle, PA, to Salem, VA, with about 110 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a total distance of about 270 miles. Actually, more like 320-330, as I had to detour around a huge traffic jam on I-81.
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I woke to the low rumbling of an engine running near the door to our room, and as Mike was still asleep, I quietly slipped outside to sit on a bench along the wall. Just across the lot was an extremely scruffy work trunk, with not a single straight panel on it and one end of the rear bumper bent up almost vertically, idling away while dripping a substantial stream of antifreeze from the right front corner. There were about a half dozen Hispanic laborers, all more scruffy than the truck, seemingly praying that it would take them to the job site, but actually all worshiping the cellphones in their hands. After about 45 mins, a final barely-awake worker exited his room, and they all piled into their two trucks and rumbled away.
Mike finally got up and we went to the hotel lobby to find as skimpy a 'continental breakfast' as I have ever seen (but I was to later to encounter a lesser one on the trip). Flavored Quaker Oats oatmeal packets (artfully arranged on a large tray to make them look impressive and substantial, I guess), Fruit Loops and cornflakes, white bread and butter, bananas, and something yellow under a clear cover in a tiny three-hole food warmer (I didn't look). At least there was caffeine, coffee for me and tea for Mike. A bit disappointing considering the quality of the rest of the establishment.
We stuffed our things in the rumble seat and headed out to our first stop, the AACA Museum in Hershey. This museum's gestation and birth a few years ago was a difficult one fraught with all kinds of legal issues, power trips, and egos. I was not thrilled with the process and declined to visit the museum when I had chances in 2018-19. But I'm too old to hold a grudge and the museum has risen to a very high level, with exhibits not to be seen elsewhere. The quality of curation and displays is world-class now and I highly recommend it to anyone with a scent of gasoline in their veins.
Ever since my day-long trip on Amtrak I've been afflicted with what I think is a mild case of sciatica in my left leg and walking more than a few steps can be quite painful, so while Mike perused all of the exhibits thoroughly, I limped from bench to bench and observed from them; fortunately there were plenty of places for me to to sit. I'll have to return soon to make a more comprehensive visit when my mobility is back to 100%.
We then proceeded to the new AACA headquarters, which was not complete the last time I was in Hershey, and quite an impressive facility it is, especially compared to the former headquarters 'home.' I didn't get upstairs, but enjoyed the cars on the ground floor. Still find the Spohn special on central display a bit garish and, well, ugly, but I do understand its significance.
Out to the car to drive around a little time before delivering Mike to the Harrisburg Amtrak station to head back home.
But... it would not start. We'd been dealing with a bit of a carb flooding issue since picking the car up (which the seller had mentioned and advised how he had dealt with it) but our tricks had stopped working. Lots of fuel dripping from the carb throat with the gas on and the car not running. I didn't bring any wrenches but several nice AACA volunteers and staffers furnished the needed tools. (As an aside, one only needs three wrenches, 1/2", 9/16", and 5/8", to remove and completely dismantle a Model A Tillotson carb.) I blew out all the jets; the main jet wasn't clear until I blew through it. And removed the 'caged' float value to suck on it to make sure it was sealing and it was. I reassembled the carb (but my technique here was a bit deficient, more on this tomorrow). Mirabile dictu, she started right up!
Off to the Amtrak station to decant Mike before any further ills arose then I headed south to find a place to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway. As much as I hate taking busy interstates in a car like this, it made the most sense in this instance. So busy I-81 it was. The coupe will cruise happily between 50-55, although it will go faster, and while I-81 was extremely crowded, it wasn't really a problem as traffic behind could get around quickly most of the time.
After more than two hours of driving, I got off at one of the Carlisle exits to gas up and the car started to stutter and misfire. I thought it was another flooding episode, so I turned off the gas, let the dripping stop, and drove around the local mall's ring road a number of times to be sure I wasn't going to have a problem once I got back on I-81 south. (Happily, there was a Harbor Freight at the mall and I was able to purchase a very nice set of combination wrenches, 1/4' to 3/4" for $9.99 plus tax! The nice girl at the check-out made sure I knew they had a lifetime guarantee 'just like Craftsman.’)
No real issue with running during the mall test routine, so I gritted my teeth and took the interstate on-ramp. Alas, within a few miles the intermittent running problem recurred. It wouldn't just stop running completely, but would stutter, die and restart multiple times. Finally it went completely dead a mile past exit 44.
Figuring it was the same flooding issue again, I shut off the gas and just waited. After maybe 45 mins, she started up and I quickly turned left to take advantage of an emergency vehicle median cut to head the mile back to the previous exit, rather than try to go ahead five miles to the next exit. Just as I got to the exit ramp, the car stopped again and I coasted nearly all the way down to the light at the bottom. Another wait, until about 15 minutes after the sun had set, and another successful start got me through the light and into the driveway of the Holiday Inn Express on the corner. About halfway down the driveway, she stopped again but on a very slight down slope so I was able to push the car into the only parking spot left in the row along that side of the hotel.
By this time, it was nearly 9:30 and, cheap barstool that I am, I knew I was going to have to bite the bullet and pay a lot more than I like for a room for a day (or more!). The nice lady at the front desk informed me that she had just booked their last remaining room. (A two-week Army War College seminar at the nearby Carlisle Barracks had filled the hotel.) My sad tale of woe and expressed willingness to sleep on the floor of the boiler room caused her to look harder and she gave me a room that had been reserved for two days but the guest had not showed for the first day "and I suspect he won't show up tonight either." She even signed me up for the chain's rewards program so she could knock another $20 off the rate.
By this time, it's nearly 10 PM, so I grabbed my stuff and headed up, wishing that there was a place in the hotel or nearby to get an adult beverage (or two or three...), but no luck there either.
The narrative will continue tomorrow, with more angels!
And although I didn't have time take a lot of pics, I'll try to add a few to this post later today. The hotel's check-out time is fast approaching...
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While contemplating the perfidy of ignition components, I suddenly noticed the keyring the seller had the car's key on. I don't think he got this one at Wallyworld.
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People who thru-hike the Appalachian Trail revere those they term 'trail angels,' people who go out of their way to assist and succor those masochists deranged enough to walk nearly 2,200 miles with their possessions and food on their backs.
For my crazy old car drives, I have been fortunate to encounter similar folks; I call them 'trip angels.'Here's Mark Adler, of Mechanicsburg, PA, the anointer of cap and rotor. He will not be the last trip angel to enter my life on this journey.
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After the deluge, we were entranced by one of the better rainbows I've seen in years. It was a full-horizon to horizon semi-circle double rainbow, with one side of the pair of arcs being extremely strong and bright. This picture was the best we could do through the windshield and it doesn't do it justice at all.
I'm going to take this as a good omen for the ultimate result of this trip, though I am certain there will be rocks and shoals before I reach the smooth shore...
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Here's a shot of Jim Thorpe, PA, with its very attractive historic depot on the right.
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Model A adventure 2023 - episode 1
Prelude:
Back in Oct-Nov 2014, I purchased a 1930 Tudor in Oregon and drove it back home to Atlanta. That trip was blogged and chronicled in several places, including an ARTICLE in a summer 2015 issue of the 'Antique Automobile.'
The trip was so much fun that I kept looking to do something similar again and now I will be doing so. Found a very nice 1930 coupe on Hemmings Marketplace last week and made the deal. The car is in Connecticut and yes, I'm driving it home, this time without a chase car as this vehicle is in much better condition than was the Tudor. Rebuilt Model B engine with full-pressure oiling, FS electronic ignition, the Lincoln drum hydraulic brake conversion produced for these cars, recent tires and tubes, recent correct upholstery in the cabin and rumble seat, a trunk rack, and a stone guard, plus a number of spares. The seller runs a vintage race car service and restoration shop he founded in 1978, and he assures me this car is mechanically sound and will be well-serviced before we depart.
Another fun part of the adventure is that I will be able to get directly to pick up the car almost entirely by Amtrak, at a substantial savings over flying (which I detest these days). In my retirement I help to run a 35-acre train museum in the Atlanta area (the Southeastern Railway Museum), so this is right in my wheelhouse. Looks like a close friend who lives near the seller may ride along and fly back home afterwards.
The planned route is to avoid I-95 entirely, to stop off in Hershey to see the AACA Museum and the new AACA national headquarters and library, and then to make as much of the southward trip as we can via the Blue Ridge Parkway. Figuring on about four-five days travel time, depending on how much we sightsee and dawdle.
As before, I'll be posting a daily trip blog, most likely on Facebook and perhaps on my hobby website, too. And I hope to dabble with video this trip, something I didn't do at all in 2014. Likely won't try to learn to edit video on the trip so that will be posted after I'm back home.
My good friend from NY, who will be riding with me from the start, has to leave after a day or so to attend his son's wedding in the Dominican Republic. He and his wife have to fly out on July 4, so he will be dropped off at the Amtrak station in Harrisburg after we visit Hershey. Which means I will be traveling solo on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If any of you are in the area, please reach out, as I would love to meet up for a visit or a meal.Hope some of you here will be interested enough to follow along and if anyone spots me on the road or in Hershey, do try to say hello.
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Yes, I know I've been rather quiet reporting on my trip to drive my newly-purchased 1930 Model A coupe home from CT, but it hasn't been trouble-free and, well, I've been a little busy. Depending on how you tally the score, I've had three or four issues with the car... so far!
My friend Mike Katz and I left his very nice home in Stormville, NY, at 8 am sharp Tuesday morning.
After filling the tank with gas and our stomachs at a typical NY diner breakfast (I had corned beef hash topped with two sunny-side up fried eggs with hollandaise and hash browns... yum!), we had smooth sailing for the first part of the day. Purely by chance, we chose a route through Jim Thorpe, PA, home of the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, where we stopped at an Irish pub for lunch and admired the historic depot. After lunch, we continued in the direction of Hershey, PA, our destination for the night.
Mike had never driven a Model A before, so he got behind the wheel to drive for an hour or two on the interstate headed south. It had been cloudy and cool most of the day but that changed into a monsoon-like downpour that continued for quite a while. The seller had thoughtfully treated the windshield with Rain-X before I picked up the car, so we didn't even need to use the electric wiper that's fitted. I find it humorously ironic that the guy from Stormville happened to be driving at the time.
North of Hershey, we stopped to take advantage of McD's wi-fi to Priceline a cheap hotel for night. While we were there, a gentleman approached to ask if that was my Model A and proceeded to tell us that he had two Model As and a long history with a Model A club on Long Island and, since he had moved, the local club. He gave me his card, indicating that if we had any trouble or needed anything to give him a call.
Hotel reservations secured (at what turned out to be the best two-star hotel I've ever booked on Priceline), we get in the car and... nothing. It wouldn't hit a lick. We checked for spark at the plugs and there was none, but there was a strong spark at the end of the coil wire. There's this rather grizzled guy in a Vietnam Veteran's cap watching and he pipes up, "I'll bet it's your distributor cap" and he was exactly right. The carbon button on the underside of the dist cap had been arcing badly against the rotor tang and was almost completely burned away. I was able to flatten it a bit by "sanding" it on the edge of a concrete planter just enough to get the car to fire for a few seconds, but not reliably.
"Hey, Mark, you said to call if we had trouble…"
"No problem. I have a new cap and rotor in my garage and I'll be there in 30 mins.”
She started right up with the new parts and while Mark insisted on following us to our hotel, we dismissed him with our sincere thanks after we stopped for gas part-way to our lodging. It was late and a lot of the Hershey restaurants were closed, but we lucked upon the Cocoa Diner, which we highly recommend if you're in the area; it's cheap and good, a rare combination these days.
After dinner, it was back to the hotel in Palmyra, four miles from downtown Hershey, for a decent night's sleep before our planned Hershey visits on the morrow (none of which involve anything chocolate BTW).
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Because a lot of folks don't do Facebook, I'm going to post my daily trip reports to this thread, with pictures.
One daily report in each post.-
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The Booth Museum is one of the most impressive collections I have ever visited. Easily one of the top three museums in GA. I like it better than the much more famous High Museum in Atlanta.
It's 210,000 sq ft so don't think you can take it in in a few hours.
The Savoy Auto Miuseum is also great, with a terrific facility, but they are only able to display a moderate number of cars. Still, they are rotating their exhibits regularly, with nicely-themed displays.
Both highly-recommended.-
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I'll eventully post the episodes here and elsewhere. Thanks for your patience.
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Episode 6 has been posted.
Here's the link to my personal Facebook page. You'll have to scroll down to find the trip episodes.
https://www.facebook.com/gregory.wells.790 -
I purchased a 1930 Model A coupe in Fairfield, CT, on Monday evening, June 26, and drove it home to Atlanta, traversing the almost all of the Blue Ridge Parkway en route and arriving home on July 3.
It all depends on the car and your skills. In fall of 2014, I bought a 1930 Model A sedan off eBay in McMinnville, OR, and drove it back to Atlanta, but my older son and I drove out, so I had a chase car behind me with tools and a parts supply on that trip. This time, the car was in such condition that I did the trip solo.
Did I have troubles? Yes, but nothing major and the old car community came out to help me when I needed help.
When I was considering driving the sedan from OR back in 2014, I called my best man, the late Donald R. Peterson (West's father, if you don't know), to ask if that was a good idea.He said, "Do it. You'll learn more about the car in two weeks than you will in ten years of attending local car shows."
If you're on Facebook, here's the link to my personal page. Scroll down to see the various episode posts. Still have a couple of episodes to post.
https://www.facebook.com/gregory.wells.790
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Just arrived back home at 8:05 pm Monday evening, in the middle of a cataclysmic electrical thunderstorm, which has probably cancelled the local fireworks show.
Episode 5 will be posted on Facebook in the morning.
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Yes, I plan to do exactly that, a cheap set from somewhere like Harbor Freight.
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Will do, regarding the itinerary. I'll be basically making it up as I go along, as I have until July 6 to be back in Norcross.
Right now, the plan is to stay in Stormville, NY, with my friend Mike on Monday night and to head for Hershey early Tuesday. Probably stay in the vicinity of Hershey Tuesday evening, as I have to drop Mike off at the airport in Harrisburg no later than mid-afternoon on Wednesday. Then I'll head for either Skyline Drive or the BRP by the most convenient route and grab a hotel where I can.
After that, we'll see how it goes.
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2023 Model A adventure - daily episodes and pics
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